Archive for April, 2010

A positive end to the week with a return to Caffe Naturelle which is a blend I simply love! It’s been great fun having a play with the ‘Brownie’ blend recently (and there will be some more!), but for me, giving Naturelle its first proper run through on the new Anfim over the last few days, has yielded some really stunning results. After a period of shot-dissatisfaction/paranoia, some exploding portafilters, and a spate of infuriatingly wet steam, everything came together and the ‘spros and the milk were all working like a dream, making everything good in the world of espresso at the cafe – the sort of days when you wish more people would come in for their shots! Wow moments – yeay! If only there were more days like that. Over some of this time I was so happy with the taste on a certain grind step, I refused to change it even when the dose began to get silly – I just couldn’t! And most rewardingly, today especially was a catalogue of the sort of comments, from all types of customers, from several espresso loving corners of the world, that can make it all seem worthwhile; thanks.

Here I could mention some less positive elements …but it’s too sunny!

The team is doing great things – well done all …and if I were in the habit of doing something naff like a Barista-of-the-Week award (or gold stars ;)) at the cafe, it would probably go to Lenny, who has learnt very well, and is a natural, and who has been making some ‘crankin’ (super-serious?!) drinks and pours, with the sort of laid-back ease that perhaps only an NZer is capable of! There’s a level of genuine interest and professionalism here, a real feel for the process, and a general appreciation for good ingredients, preparation, food, and drink, that are all so important to have as a barista.

Very approximately 18g Tanzanian Blackburn Estate Shades of September, setting ’28’ on my Rocky, 94.8C on the grounds for a single cup pourover, bloomed for 40 seconds, with the remaining water then added being about 91.3C, creating about 170ml brew, topped up with a little more water to about 200ml, and then milk.

Not a very ‘accurate’ recipe, nor necessarily the best recipe for this coffee (quite probably a grossly underextracted/overdosed thing) …but delicious!!

“The key to making espresso is to realize that it always has further potential … Espresso preparation is an art that demands the precision and dedication of science. I have never achieved, nor have ever seen anyone make a perfect espresso. A perfect espresso is more of a concept than an actuality. The beauty is that espresso is volatile and difficult. If it were easy, we would develop a machine that knows how to make a perfect espresso every time. There are so many factors involved in espresso preparation that only a human mind and a passionate heart can begin to understand and control its complexity.”Coffeeresearch.org

This week at the cafe we are serving (and very much enjoying!) the ‘Chocolate Brownie‘ espresso blend from JGC. It’s been a massive hit with almost everyone! As a ristretto especially, the chocolate is rich, and complemented by the deep, chewy, fruit element. Samambaia from Brasil with an Ethiopian Limu. We’ll have it until at least mid next week..! 😀